


Six of Crows Oneshots

by StarseekerWolf



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Comfort Reading, F/M, Fluff, Getting caught by Inej, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sickfic, Wylan plays the flute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-18 20:06:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14220792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarseekerWolf/pseuds/StarseekerWolf
Summary: Just a lot of fluffy one shots with the six main characters and their canon relationships.Spoilers for Six of Crows & Crooked Kingdom.





	1. Chapter 1 - Inej x Kaz Sickfic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaz always resists help and Inej is sick of it. (Haha, sick of it)

Another cough broke the silence of the room, and Inej could ignore it no longer. She rolled over, the sheets tangling beneath her. 

"Kaz," she whispered softly.

She saw his shape shift in the darkness as he turned to face her.

"I didn't realize you were awake," he murmured, his voice hoarse and scratchy. She saw a glint of moonlight reflected in his dark brown eyes. "I'm sorry for keeping you up."

"You have nothing to be sorry for except refusing my help," Inej grumbled, sitting up. She ran her hand through her hair. "Let me make you some tea."

"Don't bother," he muttered, pulling the blanket up to his chin. "You cannot possibly fix this."

"I can certainly try," she huffed, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and letting her feet come in contact with the cool floors. She could feel his eyes tracking her as she walked to the door with silent steps, her reputation not fading along with the excitement of a jobless period. 

As her hand landed on the doorknob, she turned to look back at him. "Stay here, okay?"

"Yeah," he said, the sarcasm evident in his voice. As if he was going anywhere.

With a nod, she opened the door and walked to the kitchen.

After everything, the last thing they had prepared for was a simple cold, yet it had gotten the best of Kaz Brekker, Ketterdam's mastermind criminal. After the cold had shifted from the stuffy nose stage to the coughing stage, he had been weak and without motivation to move from his bed. Inej was fairly certain that he also had a fever, but he refused to let her take care of him.

"I will have you without armor, Kaz Brekker. Or I will not have you at all."

Inej remembered speaking the words to him long ago, in a time that seemed so different from the one they now lived in. Everything was peaceful now. Everything was good.

She frowned as she rummaged through the cupboards, remembering everything that had occurred since then. It seemed he was not quite ready to drop his guard yet.

Not even for her.

She brought out some herbs and a porcelain cup, setting it on the counter. She hummed a Suli tune to herself as she worked, and when she was done, she took the cup back to their room, careful to only handle the top so she would not get burned.

She closed the door behind her as she reentered the room and set the cup on the bedside table beside him. When he made no move to grab it, she rolled her eyes.

"Spare me your stubbornness, Kaz," she sighed. "You're sick."

"I have a cold, Wraith," he retorted. "That's all. I don't need you hovering over me."

Without thinking, she pressed her palm to his forehead. He immediately cringed, and hurt flashed through her even as she registered the searing heat of his skin.

"Just as I thought," she said briskly, pulling her hand away. "You have a fever."

"So it seems."

"Damn it, Kaz, just let me do this for you," she said, frustrated. "You've done so much more for me."

Actually, they had saved each other's lives on a fairly balanced scale, but she refused to allow him to push her away. Not over something so silly.

She took his silence as a reluctant agreement.

Steeling herself for whatever he might use to stop her, she lifted the cup to his mouth.

"Drink."

He stared at her, almost condescendingly.

"Drink, before I pry your jaw open."

Kaz groaned in protest but parted his lips.

Inej slowly tipped the cup and allowed the tea to fall at a steady pace. When it was all drunk, she set the cup back down on the table and stared at him expectantly.

Kaz let out a long, drawn out sigh. "Fine," he muttered. She noticed his voice was a bit better. "It helped."

He gave her a weak smile. "You've always been there for me, Inej Ghafa. It's about time I returned the favor."

She stilled, staring at him in silent contemplation. "Are you sure you're not protecting your investments?"

He flinched. "I really did say that, didn't I?"

Inej laughed softly, though it was more of a sad affirmation than anything else. "Yes. Once or twice, or maybe every time you needed an excuse for saving my life."

Kaz grimaced. "Apologies, I suppose. I'm not used to people staying long enough for their opinion to matter."

Inej sat down, perched on the edge of the bed by his legs. "Are you saying my opinion matters?"

He blinked. "Am I?"

"You are so stubborn, Kaz Brekker," she sighed, shaking her head. "And stupid, and foolish, and unable to accept help."

His lips pursed, but he did not deny any of it, for to do so would be to lie.

"But you're perfect."

He arched one eyebrow, though there was a spark of hope in his gaze. "Are you sure about that?" 

"I'm positive," she murmured. She circled back around to her side and crawled under the blanket again. In a moment of boldness, she reached out and touched his arm.

His muscles tensed, and she could see the conflict within him. To stay and risk much, or pull away and risk everything.

"You said I've always been there for you," she whispered, letting her fingertips linger over his skin. She saw perspiration in a across his brow.

"Yes," he breathed.

"Well, you'd better buckle in for the ride, because that's never going to change."

He looked at her, his gloveless fingers twitching.

_What do you want, Kaz? What do you want?_

"Maybe I like it that way," he replied.

"I should hope so."

Then carefully, tentatively, she leaned in to press a kiss to his shoulder.

His breath caught, and he looked as though he wanted her to go further. But she pulled back and gave him a small smile.

"We have plenty of time, Kaz."

"We have all the time in the world."


	2. Always - Matthias x Nina Nightmare Comforts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthias soothes Nina after she has some bad nightmares.

"No. No. Please, no!"

Matthias' eyes flew open at the desperate cry, and he sat up, his head jerking from side to side to identify the threat in the dark room ...

"D-don't make me, don't make me."

Slowly, he turned his head to see Nina Zenik on the bed beside him, her face twisted into an expression of terror, even in sleep. Tears were leaking down her face, and her fingers were curled tight around the edge of the blanket.

Matthias' heart clenched in sympathy. He knew she had been having nightmares ever since she'd taken the _jurda parem_ , and it had always been a serious matter between them, but he wasn't sure he'd ever been woken by her having one before.

With this feeling of sympathy came a rush of hopelessness. He wanted to help her, to make these terrible dreams go away, but he didn't know how. How was he supposed to fight a monster that wasn't even there?

But when she thrashed, muttering something like "get away from me," he knew he had to do something. He took her shoulders and shook her.

"Nina, wake up," he said. "Nina."

She reacted poorly to that, thrashing again. "Get away from me! Get away, get away, get away!" she shrieked.

"Nina!" he yelled, shaking her again. He was afraid of hurting her, but he was also afraid of her hurting herself. "Nina, you're having a nightmare! Wake up!"

Her eyes flew open, wide and green and scared. She resisted his grip for another moment before she seemed to realize where she was, and when she did, she let out a quiet sob, sinking into his arms.

He held her gently, listening to her shaky breaths and hiccuping gasps. Her hair was soft against his bare skin, and-

_Focus_.

"It's okay," he murmured, smoothing down her hair. "You're okay. You're safe."

She sniffled, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. "But it's not okay," she whispered. "I hate these dreams, I hate them!"

"I know," he said softly, resting his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry."

Nina seemed to be waking up a bit more, and she wiped her eyes angrily with the back of her hand. "I can't believe I woke you up this time," she sighed, leaning away a bit. "You don't deserve this."

"I don't deserve the most beautiful girl in the world?" Matthias asked, raising one eyebrow. "Cause that's a bit of an insult-"

She slapped his shoulder, though not without amusement. "You know what I mean."

He sighed and took her hands. "Nina, how long will it take you to understand that I will always be here for you?" he asked. "Nightmares and all."

She shook her head. "I ... "

"You are perfect, Nina Zenik," Matthias murmured. "And I'm glad I was here than you having to face them alone."

"But I will always face them alone," she whispered, and there was so much defeat in the words that his heart ached. How could he rid her of this pain?

"Does ... Does talking about them help?" he asked tentatively.

"What?"

"The dreams. Does it help to talk about them?"

Nina gave a one armed shrug. "I suppose I could give it a try," she conceded after a moment.

She leaned against her pillows and seemed to curl into herself, her legs pulled up to her chest and her arms looped around her legs.

"I was standing at the prow of a ship, first of all," she said quietly, her eyes going glassy. "The wind was strong, and my hair was flying everywhere."

She turned her head to look at him and bit her lip. "And ... And you were there."

Matthias tensed slightly. "I-I was?"

Nina nodded. "You were standing behind me and-and you told me not to jump. I said, 'Of course I won't,' and you said, 'Take this instead.'"

She took a deep breath. "And-and you pulled a packet of _jurda parem_ out of your pocket and offered it to me."

Nina shook her head, tears watering in her eyes once more. "Saints, Matthias, it was so hard to say no," she whispered. "You looked so eager, like you really thought it would help me."

It hurt to know that her own mind could use him against her in such a way. He didn't want her to look at him and see a threat, a threat to her health and her safety.

"But I said no, that I wouldn't," she said, taking a shaky breath, "and you got mad. You were really mad."

Matthias could hardly breathe. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what happened next. "And ... And what did I do then?" he asked, dread coursing through his veins.

"You started walking towards me," Nina said. "You said I could either take it willingly or-or you would make me."

Her voice broke. "You scared me, Matthias," she whispered. "You were coming towards me and I didn't know what to do, so I screamed at you to get away from me, and that's when you woke me up."

"I'm so sorry," Matthias murmured.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Nina replied, almost angrily. "It was my choice to take the _jurda parem_ , and now I'm suffering the consequences."

"But you shouldn't have to," he said. "It's not fair."

"Life with the Dregs is hardly fair," Nina snorted. "It had to be done. Better me than anyone else."

All was silent for a moment before Matthias spoke.

"I would never do that to you," he said quietly. "I would never ... "

"I know," she murmured. "I know."

After that, there was nothing left to say. Nina eased herself against him and he allowed her to, wrapping his arms around her to protect her, though he didn't know how much good it would do. Her breathing eventually slowed and deepened to show that she was asleep, but Matthias laid awake, wishing he could do more to help her. This was all he could give, and he hoped it was enough.

The next time she woke up screaming, he held her again, and again, and again, and again, whispering comfort to her and stroking her hair and pressing soft kisses to her forehead.

"How long are you going to do this?" she asked him one night, after a particularly bad nightmare in which an invisible enemy had attempted to force _jurda parem_ down her throat. "How long are you going to stay when I can't even protect myself from my own mind?"

Matthias pressed his forehead against hers and laced their fingers together.

"Always, little red bird. I will be here for you always."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks for reading!
> 
> ~ Wolf


	3. Chapter 3 - Wylan x Jesper Fluff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesper catches Wylan playing the flute. After that, thoughts come spilling out and it's the least Jesper can do to make Wylan feel better.

Even though Wylan knew that helping Kaz defeat his father was the right thing to do, a small part of him felt like a bad son.

Sure, his father had never given him any reason to care for him or fight for him, but wasn't blood the most important thing? The thing that always came first?

Thoughts such as these had been drifting through Wylan's head for the past few weeks. Inej and Jesper had been good distractions, but they didn't quite understand how he felt. They couldn't, because they were not Wylan van Eck and never would be.

And so he once again found himself in a secluded room, flute in hand, ready for an escape.

For a few long minutes, he sat in a gilded armchair and let rays of sunlight warm his fair skin. His friends were always telling him he needed to get outside and breathe the fresh air, but the outdoors had never felt freeing to him. The openness and exposure felt more like a trap to Wylan than anything else.

After a while, he opened his eyes, squinting against the blinding light of the rising sun. It was a beautiful sight, but it was painful to endure for longer than a moment or two.

_Everything good comes at a cost_ , he couldn't help but think.

Blinking at this revelation, he lifted the flute to his lips and began to play.

It was a mournful tune, with low drawn out notes and drastic dips. He wasn't sure where it was coming from or where it would lead; he just closed his eyes and shut out the world, letting the music flow through him.

Peace washed over Wylan like a gentle wave, his fingers nimble and his breaths long lasting. He became absorbed in the song he was bringing to life, forgetting, for a moment, the burdens of everything he had done in his short time on the Earth.

He told the song of a sad boy, utterly alone among the masses. He told the tale of a great adventure that should have made the boy a hero, but instead made him a wreck. He told the life of a child, a disappointment to his father, who would never live up to expectations.

He told the story of Wylan van Eck, a boy who was now lost.

When he was done, he lowered the flute, catching his breath. He wasn't sure he had ever composed a song so full of life, and if he had, he could not remember it.

A whistle from behind startled him, and he nearly dropped the flute as he jumped to his feet and whirled around. Jesper Fahey stood in the doorway, but he pushed away from it and walked forward as soon as he had Wylan's attention.

"That was something," the sharpshooter marveled, grinning with a flash of white teeth.

Wylan could feel his cheeks burning, and he knew Jesper knew because he had such pale skin that a blush was impossible to hide. "You weren't supposed to hear that," he growled, his fingers gripping the flute.

"Down, boy," Jesper laughed, like they were fighting over who got the last piece of fruit. "It's cute when your cheeks get puffy as you take breaths."

Wylan scowled at him and moved to leave.

Jesper stepped in front of him, amusement flickering across his well tanned face.

Wylan said nothing, just took another step to the side and continued to walk.

"Whoa," Jesper said, putting his hand on Wylan's shoulder and holding him in place. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," Wylan muttered, trying to jerk away to no avail. "Let go of me."

"Okay, I know you're mad that I pretended I broke that thing last week, but-"

"I said let _go_ of me," Wylan snapped, tugging free and glaring at Jesper. He couldn't miss the hurt that flashed in the other boy's eyes, but there was something else, too, something bigger-concern.

He would've despised it had it come from anyone but Jesper. As it was, he felt a flicker of anger in him that his friends should pity him.

_Don't pretend you know what you're talking about when you don't_.

"Okay, now I'm worried," Jesper said. He pointed to the armchair that Wylan had been sitting in. "Sit."

"No."

Jesper took him by the shoulders and leaned in close so that their noses were almost touching. Wylan's breath caught and his pulse suddenly accelerated as he stared into the soft gray eyes that stared right back at him. He started to lean forward when Jesper pushed him backwards and into the chair.

Wylan sighed and rolled his eyes at the childish trick, while Jesper chuckled. "Works every time. Maybe later."

He tapped his nose knowingly, then grew serious again. He pulled up another armchair to face Wylan, wood scraping against the floorboards. "So. Tell me what's wrong."

"Do we have to do this?" Wylan groaned.

"Yes," Jesper replied, "and neither of us are leaving this room until you fess up."

"I'm good with that," Wylan blurted, then immediately flushed.

Jesper raised one eyebrow, the sunlight playing across his handsome features. "Tempting, but I'm here to listen," he said.

"I'm serious," Wylan said, standing and moving towards Jesper. He was fairly certain he'd do just about anything to avoid having this conversation.

When he drew near, Jesper looked up at him, his eyes sparking with caution but some curiosity. Wylan leaned forward, letting their lips brush.

Jesper immediately pushed him back down into the seat. "Nice try," he said, "but I have a bit more self restraint than that."

"A bit?"

"Just a bit," the sharpshooter conceded. "Now. You are not going to avoid this talk, and we're having it right now whether you want to or not. Don't make me fashion you some metal handcuffs, because let me tell you, they won't be stylish."

"You wouldn't do that."

"You're right, I wouldn't," Jesper admitted. "But we're having this conversation anyway. Now. Talk."

Wylan let out a long, drawn out sigh. Why did it seem to be Jesper that made him feel the safest and the most awkward and uncomfortable at the same time?

Yet Jesper was the person he trusted most, and he couldn't deny that Jesper was probably the only person he could count on to be there for him, besides Inej, perhaps. It wasn't fair to keep him in the dark if he truly wanted to help.

"Alright," he grumbled. "I feel guilty."

Jesper frowned. "About?"

Wylan shrugged. "Everything?"

"That's vague," the Zemeni commented. "Do you feel guilty for being madly in love with me?"

"I'm guilty about my father," Wylan clarified. "I feel like I should have been there for him, even just a little bit."

Once he started talking, he found that he couldn't stop quite so easily.

"I feel like maybe I should've done something so he wouldn't be so disappointed in me. I feel bad for not being the son he wanted, even if he treated me terribly, maybe it was my fault, I don't know. In the end, I wasn't there for him, and maybe that makes me a bad son." He looked at Jesper, a little afraid of his response. "Does it make me a bad son?"

Jesper sat back in his chair, his hands settling at the edge of the armrests. He regarded Wylan for a moment, causing him to fidget nervously.

"Do you really believe that you're a bad son?" Jesper asked.

Wylan frowned. It wasn't so much what he believed. It was more of what he was afraid of. 

"I don't know," he said finally. "I don't want to be, but I worry that I am."

Jesper nodded. "And do you really think that taking down the man who abused you your whole life was a mistake?"

"No," Wylan said immediately. He hesitated, surprised at how quickly he had responded. "No."

The sharpshooter across from him shrugged. "Then I don't see a problem."

Wylan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I don't see a problem," the Zemeni repeated.

"I tell you that guilt's been eating me up for weeks, and you just don't see a problem?" Wylan spluttered. "What-?"

"Your troubles are with yourself, not your father," Jesper interrupted. "You have to accept that you did the right thing, and that it was the only right choice to make."

"But what if it wasn't?" Wylan persisted. "What if I could've stopped him and kept him out of jail at the same time?"

Jesper actually laughed. "Wylan, men like your father can't be stopped by chats over tea or pleasant walks on the beach. The only way to get justice for everything he's done was to lock him up."

"Then why do I feel so bad?" he asked. "Why is it that all I can think about is what I could've done differently?"

"Because you're human," Jesper said simply. "We always feel regret; it's a natural emotion. We always look back and realize that we needed only take a different path to lead a better life."

He shrugged. "I think you need to let go and accept that what's done is done. You can't change the past, Wylan, you can only make peace with it. Playing the 'what if' game for the rest of your life would only drive you insane and, well, I don't think you'd look so cute then." He flashed a cheeky smile.

"Thanks, Jes," he said heavily. "I kind of needed that."

"I am pretty awesome," Jesper said. Wylan laughed, which caused Jesper to smile. "See, it's those moments that I live for."

"What moments?" Wylan asked, confused.

"Your laughter is the most beautiful sound in the world," Jesper said, and Wylan blushed. "You throw your head back and all the tension leaves your face. It's glorious."

Then he patted the guns at his hip, grinning at them fondly. "Well, besides the sound of these babies going off, that is."

Then his gray eyes sharped, and he looked back up at Wylan. "So, about that kiss ... "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the hits and kudos! Feedback would be very much appreciated.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> ~ Wolf


	4. Chapter 4 - Wylan x Jesper Reading Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Settled down on the couch, Jesper reads Wylan one of his favorite childhood stories, with an original twist at the end.

**Actual spoilers for Falling Kingdoms #4: Frozen Tides. Read at your own risk**

**I am not claiming any of the Falling Kingdoms material/content as my own. All of the excerpts I used belong to the one and only Queen, Morgan Rhodes, and if I need to take this down, I will.**

Wylan wandered into the kitchen, blinking his eyes blearily. He hadn't been able to sleep, and he decided that waking up was better than tossing and turning for another few hours.

By the look of the sky through the nearby window, it was nearly dawn; a dash of pink colored the base of the sky, right where it touched the hilltops.

"What are you doing up?"

Wylan jumped in surprise, turning to see Jesper sitting on the couch with a small book in his hand.

"Oh, um ... " he stammered. "I couldn't sleep."

"You and me both, Wylan van Sunshine," Jesper muttered, rubbing his eyes. "Care to join me?"

Wylan was about to ask what he felt up to when his eyes were drawn to the book Jesper was holding.

"What's that?" he asked.

Jesper smiled fondly at the novel. "It's one of my childhood favorites," he explained. "It's called Falling Kingdoms."

Wylan settled down next to him. "Sounds cool. What's it about?"

"Well, there are kingdoms and there's a rebellion. There's also sorcery. The four main characters are princes, princesses, rebels, and servants and such."

"Nice summary," Wylan laughed.

"I'll read it to you if you like," Jesper offered.

Wylan blinked.

It was common knowledge among the Dregs that Wylan could not read. Despite excelling at other things, he had never been able to pick up the most basic of life skills.

In an attempt to make him feel a little better and to sometimes calm him down, Jesper would read to him from time to time. Sometimes it was the tale of a real person's life that fascinated him, and sometimes it was a fantastical adventure that took Wylan's breath away. Either way, it always relaxed him and gave him an excuse to spend time with Jesper. That was welcome any time.

So he nodded. "I'd like that."

Jesper nodded as well. "Alright, let me fill you in on some things. So Princess Cleo is next in line for the throne of Auranos, but she got taken captive after a big battle and all her family died. Prince Magnus is the crown prince of Limeros, and his family is the one that killed Princess Cleo's family, but he's kind of a little in love with her. He killed Cleo's first love and she thinks she hates him but I actually think she'd madly in love with him, too."

Wylan laughed. "You always like to think that."

Jesper shrugged. "Sure I do. Also, Princess Lucia is Magnus' adopted sister, and she's a sorceress. She turned a little evil after the boy she loved died, and now she's conspiring with an elemental god against humankind."

"Oh," Wylan said.

"Yep. And Jonas is the leader of the rebellion against Magnus' father, the ruthless King of Blood that's known for killing people and stuff. He's kind of in love with this huntress girl Lysandra, and they're trying to figure out how to recruit more people and come up with a plan to kill Magnus. They think he's a super bad guy."

"That's complicated," Wylan commented.

"Not really, I'm just no good at explaining things," Jesper told him. "So in the last book, Cleo was about to be executed for conspiring with the rebels, which she did. For a while she kind of liked Jonas but not anymore. She was about to be killed but Magnus saved her and she was really surprised. Now they're on the hunt for these crystal orbs called the Kindred, which hold the power of the four different kinds of elementia, basically magic."

"Alright, I think I've got it," Wylan said. "Begin!" He gave a flourish of his hand.

Jesper laughed. "This chapter is in Cleo's point of view, by the way." Then he focused his eyes on the page and began to read.

"She'd been wrong. His eyes weren't flat and emotionless; they were full of simmering outrage. 'I thought you said you understand why I did that.' 'Understand? Yes. Approve of? No. You have a stunning talent for concealing the truth. I rarely meet a liar as skilled as you are. Congratulations, princess.'" Jesper paused. "That was Prince Magnus, by the way."

Wylan loved how Jesper did different voices for books with multiple characters. He assumed the light, lilting voice belonged to Princess Cleo, while the deep, sarcastically bored voice was Prince Magnus. He nodded and motioned for him to continue.

"How had it taken her this long to realize that he was furious with her? 'So what?' she said, abandoning all hope of staying diplomatic and diving right into interrogation. 'Were _you_ lying too? About this new alliance? About what will happen afterward?'"

Wylan didn't know too much about this Princess Cleo, but he could tell she was headstrong and didn't tolerate nonsense from anyone.

"'Finally, the princess reveals her true intentions, the real reason you've come up to me on this day of worship,'" Jesper continued, dipping back into Prince Magnus' voice. "'You've no interest in the details of my past at all.'

"'Can't it be both?'" That was Princess Cleo. "'Why can't I want information about my future and be curious about your past as well?'"

"'We're done here.'" Prince Magnus seemed like the grumpy type. "He stood up and walked toward the exit, and she hurried after him to block his path. 'No, we're _not_ done here,' she hissed. 'Answer me this, princess. What exactly is there between you and Agallon? Is it more than a friendly alliance between a princess and a rebel?' 'What do you mean?' He glared at her as if she were a child purposely avoiding an answer. 'Are you in love with him?'"

"Ooh, somebody's jealous," Wylan snickered.

"Her mouth dropped open. ' _What?_.' 'Under any other circumstances I wouldn't care, of course. But if the two of you were in love, it would make it much more complicated for the three of us to go forward.' 'You're insane.' 'A yes or no would suffice. I'll take your response as a ... probably. Good to know, princess. Much gratitude.'"

"Do they fight like this all the time?" Wylan asked.

"Pretty much," Jesper told him, dropping back into his own tone of voice. "It's part of the wonderful ship, though. Now shush and let me read."

Wylan nodded his consent.

"She grabbed his arm and held on tightly. He glared down his nose at her. 'Let go of me.' 'Not yet. I need you to hear what I have to say to you.'"

_A profession of love?_ Wylan wondered.

"Cleo sought to hold his gaze, trying to see past the anger and uncertainty in his eyes. Was there anything else there? The new mask he wore was marvelous, thicker and stronger than ever, covering every emotion but anger. But every mask could be cracked. 'What do you need to say to me?' he finally prompted. She took a deep breath and stood as tall as she could. 'I did fall in love with someone. Some whom many would say was completely wrong for me. But I didn't care.'"

_Here it comes_. For some reason, though he'd just been introduced to these characters, he felt a giddy sense of hope that the confession would go well.

"He now studied her for a long, heavy moment. 'Did you, princess? And who was that?' Boldly, she placed her hand over his heart to feel its swift pace. He looked down at it, his brows drawing together as he met her eyes. 'Do you really want to know?' she asked, her voice now soft. He was silent so long that she wasn't sure he'd ever speak again. Then, finally he nodded once. 'Yes.' He watched her with a darkening gaze as she bit her bottom lip. She'd seen that darkness in his eyes before, and she knew it didn't come from anger."

_Damn_ , he thought. _This author's good_.

"'Princess,' he urged. 'Tell me.'"

Wylan's heartbeat quickened. It was going to happen, he was sure of it. They would confess their love to each other and kiss and everything would be well.

"She met his eyes directly. 'His name was Theon Ranus,' she said. 'And you murdered him.'"

Wylan gasped. "What? Why would she say that? He was so close to-I-what? Who's Theon?"

Jesper chuckled. "Patience. Theon Ranus is her first love that Prince Magnus killed."

"But still, why would she say such a thing to him?" Wylan asked, completely baffled. "I thought they were in love!"

"They are," Jesper assured him. "She just doesn't want to admit it."

"If you say so," Wylan muttered. He now very much doubted Jesper's summary abilities. "Go on."

Jesper nodded. "Magnus pulled away from her, the growing tenderness in his expression slamming shut like an iron door. 'Sometimes I forget about that day.' She tried to ignore the pain in her heart as she spoke. 'But something always ends up reminding me. Good evening, Magnus.' Cleo left the temple and didn't look back.'"

_Why would she throw away love like that so easily?_ Wylan wondered. _He seemed completely enraptured, yet she brought his walls right back up at the first chance she got_. He was sure there was some sort of reasoning he didn't understand, but it was still confusing to him.

"You seem confused," Jesper said, pausing.

"I am," Wylan said. "Why would she just ... push him away like that?"

"Things between them are pretty complicated, huh?" 

"Yeah," Wylan said, frowning. "I just don't get it."

"Well, you have to understand that she's having a hard time trusting him," Jesper explained. "His father ordered her family to be murdered, and he killed the boy she loved himself. She doesn't want to feel anything for him, so the easiest thing she could do would be to push him away."

Wylan thought about that for a moment. Some would say that the way he felt about Jesper was wrong, that he shouldn't feel such things. If he was desperate to stop it, would he push Jesper away?

_No_. Wylan couldn't imagine his life without Jesper in it. The Zemeni sharpshooter held a very large part of his heart in his hands. He would never intentionally do anything to change that.

"I guess she has to do what's best for her and her kingdom," Wylan said. "She wants her throne back, doesn't she?"

"Oh, definitely," Jesper replied. "She wants Magnus, too. She's just not sure which one she wants more."

He continued to read, and the tension and restlessness slowly left Wylan's body. He wasn't sure when he had relaxed against Jesper, but at some point, he was leaning against the sharpshooter's chest and Jesper's arm was around his waist as he read, soothing him and keeping him safe. He took a quick break to grab a glass of water at some point, but after that, he forged onward, pausing once in a while to answer some of Wylan's questions.

Wylan's suspicions were finally granted about a hundred pages later, when Cleo was missing and Magnus went to find her. She was in a cottage and had just killed two Kraeshian guards. This time, the chapter was in Magnus' point of view.

"Cleo blinked. 'So you ... you're here to rescue me?' 'That was the general plan, yes, but it seems you're perfectly capable of rescuing yourself.' And then he sank down to his knees, his attention fixed on the wooden floor. 'What's wrong with you?' she said, warily now. 'Why won't you look at me?' 'I've been a monster to you. I've hurt you over and over, and yet you still continued to believe in me.' 'Actually, it's not until recently that I started.'"

Wylan chuckled.

"Her tone had grown uncertain and tentative, her voice quieter. 'Forgive me, Cleo. Please ... please forgive me for all that I've said. All that I've done.' 'You ... you really want my forgiveness?' 'I know I don't even deserve to ask for it. But, yes.' It was true agony to realize how wrong he'd been about her. About everything."

_Soon_ , Wylan thought. _It'll be soon_. 

"Cleo lowered herself to the floor, peering up at his face with a concerned frown. 'You're not acting like yourself at all. Are you in pain?' 'Yes. Horrible pain.' She reached out with a shaky hand and pushed his hair back from his forehead. He raised his eyes to meet hers. He couldn't speak, he couldn't put all that he was feeling into words. So instead of speaking, he just held on to her gaze, no mask in place, no protection, his heart open and raw and messy. 'I love you, Cleo,' he said, the words finally coming to him, with no effort at all because of how true they were. 'I love you so much it hurts.'"

Wylan found a soft smile spreading across his face at the beautiful words. This author-Morgan Rhodes, as it said on the spine-was truly gifted in her writing, and Wylan was glad to see that the feelings were finally coming into the light.

"Her eyes widened. 'What did you just say?' Magnus almost laughed. 'I think you heard me right.' Cleo drew closer to him, continuing to stroke his hair, which was damp from the melting snow. He froze under her touch, unable to move or to breathe. No thoughts, no words, only the feel of her fingertips on his skin. She stroked his face, his jaw, her touch growing bolder as she traced the line of his scar. And she drew closer still, close enough that he could feel her warm breath against his lips. 'I love you too, Wylan van Eck.'"

It took him a moment to register what had been said, but when he did, he froze. 

_Did I just imagine that?_

He slowly sat up, turning to look at the Zemeni sharpshooter. "Wh-what?"

Jesper chuckled. "I think you heard me right," he murmured, copying Magnus from the book. He closed the novel and set it to the side, taking Wylan's face in his hands.

Wylan's breath caught, and he hardly dared to breathe. He didn't want to ruin this moment, this way that they were staring into each other's eyes like they were the only people that mattered in the world.

"Do you ... " Wylan swallowed. "Are you sure you mean it?"

Jesper laughed softly, and his breath wafted over Wylan's lips. "I think that's the stupidest question I've ever heard you ask, van Sunshine. And that's saying a lot."

"Ouch," Wylan exclaimed, pretending to be offended, though he didn't really mean it. "After that whimsical tale, it's good to see that your tongue is still sharp."

"Care to find out just how sharp?" Jesper purred.

"Very much," Wylan murmured. He leaned forward and captured Jesper's lips with his own. The sharpshooter sighed against him, leaning into him to deepen the kiss. His fingers curled into Wylan's hair, tugging at his locks. Wylan groaned softly, his hand moving to Jesper's waist.

"Morning, you two-Whoa!"

Wylan leaped away from Jesper at the sound of Inej's voice, his cheeks flushing madly. The Wraith had just emerged from her room, and was staring at them, a mixture of amusement and exasperation on her face. "Saints, you two, why don't you get a room?"

"With pleasure," Jesper said, grinning impishly, but Wylan stood and backed away, his embarrassment getting the better of him. 

"Um, sorry, gotta go," he stammered, ready to disappear under his covers and never come out again.

"That's alright. The offer extends far into the foreseeable future."

"Okay, uh, yeah, thanks very much," Wylan muttered, a mad blush still coloring his cheeks. He knew Jesper was smiling. He was like that, finding the humor in these situations.

He glanced to Inej, hoping for some support, but she just shook her head and laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Please give feedback, it would be much appreciated.
> 
> Also, if you have any questions or one shot requests, please let me know. I'm not going to do lemons, but anything else is on the table.
> 
> Also, Falling Kingdoms is an actual series by Morgan Rhodes, and it's a really awesome fantasy series. I suggest it 100%.
> 
> Again, thanks for reading!
> 
> ~ Wolf


	5. Chapter 5 - Nina x Matthias Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The proposal that should've happened. *sad face*

**Matthias' Third POV**

He wasn't sure when he had found the courage to propose. He just knew that somewhere, somehow, he had come up with an idea and the Dregs were helping him.

Inej had been most enthusiastic, seeing as she and Nina were good friends. Wylan had been excited by the prospect of something adventurous that didn't involve a great amount of danger. Jesper had taken the liberty of designing the display that would pose the question visually while Matthias said it out loud. And Kaz, of course, saw no need for excessive celebration in the name of love, so he would be waiting elsewhere to hear the result. That was all completely fine.

"Okay," he murmured. "Inej, have you confirmed Nina's position?"

The Suli girl nodded, a grin playing across her features. She had just run across the rooftops of half of Ketterdam, and she didn't look any worse for it. "I have. She should be about three fourths of the way back by now, walking past her old shop."

Matthias nodded, his head spinning a little. After more than two weeks of careful planning, things were finally about to fall into place. "Wylan, you've got the flashy stuff ready?"

With gleaming eyes, Wylan opened one side of his coat to reveal several flash and smoke bombs that would make everything look dramatic.

Nodding again, Matthias then turned to Jesper. "The display ... ?"

"All set and ready to go," the sharpshooter said, proudly patting the guns that hung from his belt. "It wasn't easy, but I made it happen."

"Alright," Matthias said, rubbing his hands together. Hopefully, five or so minutes from now, he and Nina would be betrothed.

A few months ago, this kind of future wouldn't have seemed possible at all. In fact, a few months ago, Matthias had despised Nina with every fiber of his being.

 _Wow,_ Matthias thought. _That short of a time ago?_

It felt like those things had happened to a different person altogether, and he was recalling it from another mind. After everything they'd been through, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with the amazing woman who had changed it for the better.

"Let's do this," he said, a smile playing across his lips.

**Nina's Third POV**

Nina rubbed her temples as she felt a headache creeping into the edges of her mind, sighing as she headed back down the cobbled streets of Ketterdam. She'd assumed that some fresh air would do her good, but it hadn't helped as much as she had hoped. Instead, she felt more suffocated than ever.

Matthias had seemed distant as of late, tucked away in some secluded place or off with the other Dregs. She wasn't sure what that meant for her, for _them_. If there even still _was_ a 'them.'

 _I tried, Matthias,_ she thought wearily. _I tried for_ you, _but maybe that wasn't enough._

It pained her to think that after everything they had been through, after everything they had seen and done together, they might be coming to an end.

Her cloak billowed around her, though it did little to actually keep her warm. She thought about making a detour to buy a heavier, more suitable one, but she decided that she was too tired to bother.

"Nina!"

She startled a bit at the sound of Inej's voice, her headache spiking. "Inej? What?"

"Nina, come with me," the Suli girl urged, using window ledges and railings to drop from the rooftop to Nina's side. "There's something I need to show you."

"Can't it wait?" Nina sighed. "I don't feel too great right now."

Inej frowned at her for a moment, but the expression was quickly replaced by a look of determination. "No, you are _not_ backing out of this one. I swear it looks like a paradise, like it was warped by Grisha magic. You have to look at it! It's like nothing I've ever seen before!"

Nina let out another sigh, but she knew Inej wouldn't let up. She was stubborn like that, and in this case, it wasn't to her benefit.

"Fine," she grumbled. "Show me wherever this place is."

"Great," Inej said, grinning. "Right this way." She turned and set off at a brisk pace down the street, forcing Nina to hurry to catch up.

_This had better be worth it, Wraith._

**Matthias' Third POV**

_This'll be worth it, Nina, I promise._

He hoped Inej hadn't surprised her too much on her way back. He personally knew how silent the Wraith could be when she wanted to.

He waited with anxiety stirring in his stomach, tapping his fingers nervously against the side of his leg. Wylan was hidden around the corner, flash and smoke bombs at the ready. There was a large wooden board behind Matthias, the words 'Will You Marry Me?' carved out by the bullets of Jesper's guns, along with a fairly good resemblance of Matthias and Nina looking at each other.

Matthias held a small box in his hand, the solid gold ring that it held weighing heavily against his palm. This would either be the most important gift of his life or the biggest waste of his money ever.

_There's nothing to worry about. She'll say yes._

He knew he hadn't been the best at spending time with her lately, but he always worried that he would accidentally spill the news. While he would never betray a friend's secrets, he wasn't all that great at keeping his own.

So Matthias had been avoiding her in favor of putting together a plan with the other Dregs, and he had a feeling that she was beginning to sense it. He hoped it wouldn't impact her reaction to this surprise he had managed to put together.

He heard voices coming towards them distantly, and he tensed, his heart rate speeding up considerably.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" he heard Nina say.

"Yes, I'm sure. Come on, we're almost there." That was Inej, sounding a little closer.

_Alright, Helvar. Time to do this._

**Nina's Third POV**

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Nina complained, running her hand through her light brown locks. Sweat had beaded on her brow, and now her cloak felt like an unneeded addition.

"Yes, I'm sure," Inej replied with a chiding tone. "Come on, we're almost there."

They'd been walking uphill for at least five minutes, and while that might sound like a short time, for Nina Zenik, it felt like an eternity.

It had taken a long time just to get her appetite back after consuming even a small amount of _jurda parem_. Nina shivered at the thought of the power enhancing drug. Gaining weight back had been even harder, and while she was improving, her lack of recent physical activity was not benefiting her on this climb.

Not only was the path rocky and steep, it was also covered with slippery moss. Twice now she had nearly lost her footing, while Inej, graceful and spry, forged onward, stopping several times to let Nina catch up.

"Is this really something I need to see?" she asked as her heel came close to slipping on a particularly smooth surface. "Can't you just show me later?"

"Come on, Zenik, we're already almost there," Inej called over her shoulder. "Don't give up now."

"But I want to," Nina complained.

"Nina, life is a series of valleys and hills, and while you may not feel like climbing at times, the view is always worth it. This may not be the biggest climb of your life, but it will be the one with the prettiest view at the top."

_What is that supposed to mean?_

Instead of voicing her confusion, she fell silent, deciding that Inej would not give up any further information anyway.

"Alright, it's right around the corner," Inej declared after a few moments. "Get ready to be blown away."

Nina just huffed and moved a little faster, relieved at the prospect of level ground.

"Oh, and Nina?" Inej said as they rounded the corner.

Nina turned to face her. "Yeah?"

"Surprise."

She opened her mouth to ask 'what?' when a call of "Now!" rang out through the air. With a loud bang and a subtle _whoosh_ , a cloud of smoke billowed into existence, blocking Nina's view. She muttered a curse under her breath, her heart racing. _Is this an ambush?_ She flexed her fingers, reaching out to search for any dead bones or skeletons in the earth nearby.

Then the smoke cleared, and there stood Matthias Helvar, a foolish grin on his face. She scowled and stormed towards him.

"Damn it, Matthias!" she yelled, her anger and frustration getting the best of her. "What's going on? Do you know how terrified I just was?"

Then she glanced over his shoulder and saw a large wooden board. 'Will You Marry Me?' it asked, the likenesses of her and Matthias facing each other. Hearts and diamonds were also cut out of it.

Time seemed to still. She slowly looked back at Matthias and noticed that he held a small box in his hand. Before her very eyes, he knelt down on one knee, looking up at her reverently.

"What the hell is this?" she whispered, though her hopes were soaring high above Ketterdam's rooftops and far across the sea. _Is he ... ?_

"Nina Zenik," he declared, that stupid smile still on his face. That stupid, stupid smile that melted her heart. "You are the most incredible woman I have ever met, and these past few months have been the best ones of my life. It would mean the world to me if the rest of my years could take the same path."

His blue eyes shone with emotion so strong, she thought it might push her over. He flipped open the small box to reveal a shimmering golden ring, a ruby planted firmly in the center.

"Nina Zenik, my love, my little red bird, will you marry me?"

She gazed into his eyes, a smile playing across her lips. "Mmm ... no."

His grin faltered, and he stared at her a moment as though he hadn't heard her right. "Wh-what?"

"Saints, Matthias, yes, I'll marry you!" she laughed. "Yes, always yes."

Giving a nervous laugh that turned more self assured the longer it went on, he stood, taking the ring and slipping it onto her finger. The cool metal felt right against her skin. She smiled at him, and he smiled back, pulling her into him. Nina sighed happily as his arms closed around her, enveloping her in a blanket of warmth and safety.

"I love you, Matthias Helvar. Don't ever doubt that," she murmured.

"I never did. Not for one instant."

Her head was spinning. They were betrothed. They were actually betrothed!

Was this why Matthias had been scarce? Saints, she had completely misjudged him, hadn't she? She should've known that he was thinking of her. He was always thinking of her.

Some time, hopefully in the very near future, they would be married, and then ... And then the whole world was waiting for them, as it always had been.

Slow clapping had them step away from each other, and she saw Jesper and Wylan appear from around the corner. Two and two came together, and she sighed.

"Wylan, the smoke bomb was you, wasn't it?" she asked.

"Um, yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Hope it didn't give you too much of a scare."

"I made the sign," Jesper proudly announced. He ruffled Wylan's hair, causing the fair skinned boy to blush. "I think I win."

"Well, at the end of the day, we're the true winners, aren't we?" Matthias murmured, looking at her with a tender gaze like she was the only person in the world. Her heart fluttered in her chest, threatening to burst out.

"Alright, alright, you've had your moment," Inej laughed, coming up to pat Nina on the back. "I told you the view would be worth it."

"You didn't have to drag me up here the hard way," Nina protested. "I bet five _kruge_ there's an easier path."

Inej shrugged guiltily. "I'm not taking you up on that bet, but yes, there is most certainly an easier path. There always is, but this time, you took the harder road and were rewarded for it."

_I'm fairly certain that this is the greatest reward of all. I'm betrothed to Matthias Helvar. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him._

She was dizzy with the prospect, but it seemed that this exciting new revelation was not the only thing contributing to that. Darkness made the edges of her vision hazy, and she promptly collapsed into Matthias' arms.

**Matthias' Third POV**

When the smoke cleared and she came marching towards him, he knew he should be afraid, but all he could think about was how damn beautiful she looked, with her hair whipping around her face and her mouth twisted into that adorably not-menacing scowl. And the look on her face when he knelt down ... It was one he would remember for the rest of his life, a mix of ground shattering hope and disbelieving denial.

And when she'd said 'no,' his heart had stopped, and he thought his life might be over just like that, but then the knowing smile had spread over her face and everything was okay.

This had to be a dream.

 _I'm betrothed to Nina Zenik,_ he thought dizzily. He knew that had always been the plan, the desirable outcome, but now it was something real, and it was something Matthias would hold on to for the rest of his life.

"Alright, alright, you've had your moment. I told you the view would be worth it." Inej gave a laugh and patted Nina on the back. They exchanged banter for a few moments and Inej made some really cheesy comment, but Matthias didn't really hear it because he was looking at Nina's face and that was all he could see. She was glowing, her eyes bright for the first time in a very long time, her light replenished.

And then she frowned, wobbling a little, and Matthias knew what was going to happen. Before she was falling, he was there, ready to catch her, and as she gave a soft sigh and collapsed, she fell right into his arms.

"Oh," Inej said, frowning in concern. "She said she wasn't feeling great, but I thought she just had a headache or something."

Matthias pressed the back of his hand to her head and was mostly unsurprised when her skin was blazing. "I think she has a fever. We'd better get her inside."

"Your first duty as a future husband," Jesper marveled, clapping Matthias on the back. "Need any help?"

Matthias shook his head. "I think I can take it from here." He lifted Nina up in the air, one arm under her arms and one at the bend of her knees.

He took a moment to look at the people before him, the people who had helped make this possible. "Thank you," he said honestly. "I couldn't have done this without you."

"Any time, Fjerdan," Inej said, with a flash of a smile that was more a snarl than a grin. With that, she was off, melting into the shadows. A few seconds later, he caught a glimpse of black fabric billowing over the edge of a rooftop, moving steadily away.

Jesper shook his head in disbelief. "I'll never know how she does it," he muttered. "But yeah, no problem. Jesper Fahey and his excellent, _excellent_ services-" he said, glancing at Wylan, whose eyes widened and cheeks reddened, "-will always be at your command."

"Um, yeah, me, too," Wylan stumbled. "I, gotta go!" The boy quickly walked away, turning the corner and heading back towards his house.

Jesper gave a soft chuckle. "Better go make sure he doesn't get lost," he murmured, before turning and following Wylan.

Matthias didn't want to know the context of that, but right now, he had bigger things to think about. He looked down at Nina, her eyes closed, a serene expression across her face. "Let's get you safe," he murmured, walking back towards their home.

That night, Nina passed in and out of consciousness, but when she was awake, he was there, giving her herbal tea and warm soup. 

At one point, she grinned at him, her eyelids slowly fluttering closed for the night. "Feeding me, fetching me drinks, staying here all the time ... Is this what having a husband is like?"

He clasped her hands in his, even as she faded back to sleep. "I don't know, but I can't wait to find out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a really fun chapter to write, so I hope you enjoyed reading it! Please leave some feedback, I would really appreciate it!
> 
> Anywayz, thanks for reading! Have a nice day/night!
> 
> ~ Wolf


End file.
